Russia says helping Syrian opposition breaches law

In this Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2012 photo, Syrian rebel fighters keep an eye through a hole in the wall that overlooks a position held by troops loyal to Syrian President Bashar Assad during skirmishes in Aleppo, the Syria. (AP Photo/Narciso Contreras)

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said Thursday that any foreign help to the opposition fighting President Bashar Assad’s government would represent a “gross violation” of basic principles of international law. He added that the opposition’s refusal to hold talks with Assad would “strengthen positions of extremists.”

France on Tuesday became the first Western nation to recognize a revamped Syrian opposition leadership as the only legitimate representative of the Syrian people.

Russia has been a key supporter and ally of Assad’s government, joining forces with China at the U.N. to veto sanctions against Syria over its crackdown on an uprising that has killed more than 36,000 people since it began in March 2011.